The Taliban junta is focused on reviving tourism in Afghanistan, but even before a group of hardcore Islamist fanatics took control of the country in 2021, holiday travel seemed unlikely. I was worried.
Tuesday’s Associated Press surprised that afghanistan To do The tourism industry is functioning despite the fact that the current rulers are “world pariahs, mainly because of their restrictions on women and girls.”
The Associated Press reported:
The economy is in decline, infrastructure is poor, and poverty is widespread. Still, foreigners are visiting the country, encouraged by a sharp decline in violence, increased air connections with hubs like Dubai, and the bragging rights that come with vacationing in an unusual destination.
The paper noted that a particular “buzz” was emerging around Afghanistan as a site for extreme tourism.
Although the tourist population remains small, it has increased dramatically over the years, from 691 in 2021 to approximately 7,000 in 2023. Naturally, many of these tourists come from China. developed Extensive business interests with the Taliban regime.
“They tell me Pakistan is dangerous and they don’t want to go because they will attack them. The Japanese also told me this. This is good for us,” said Mohammad Saeed, the Taliban’s tourism chief. He talked about Chinese customers.
Saeed said the Taliban wanted to increase tourism to present a more positive image of its rule to the outside world.
“I was sent to this department at the direction of the elders. They should trust me, since they sent me to this important place,” he declared.
“Afghanistan’s enemies don’t see this country in a good light. But if these people come and see what it’s really like, they’ll definitely share that good image. “The Taliban’s Minister of Information and Culture, Khairullah Khairkwah, said. Said Al Jazeera News in April.
The surprising resurgence of Afghan tourism is even more surprising. This is because entry into the country is extremely difficult, even for Chinese tourists, and travel is extremely difficult. internal Afghanistan’s dirt roads are also difficult and dangerous. The Islamic State continues to aim to destabilize and overthrow the Taliban by launching horrific terrorist attacks across the country.Terrorist groups are claimed responsibility Six people were killed in a shooting at a mosque in western Afghanistan.
People attend the funeral of a victim killed in a shooting at a mosque in Gozala district, Herat province, western Afghanistan, on April 30, 2024. (Mashal/Xinhua via Getty Images)
The Taliban’s primitive extremism also poses a hurdle. The regime has set up a “training center” for hospitality workers in Kabul, but only men are allowed to attend. Many of the country’s public tourist attractions are closed to women. Afghanistan’s best hotels have reluctantly reopened their spas and salons to women, but only if they can show ID proving they are foreigners.
The few travel agencies serving Afghanistan said they strive to avoid regime-controlled amenities and direct clients to small family-run operations and locally managed attractions.
Al Jazeera News spoke to Oscar Wells, an American tourist who was visiting the Blue Mosque in the northern province of Mazar-e-Sharif. Wells said he arranged the trip through an organization called Untamed Borders, which also offers tours to war-torn Syria and Somalia.
Wells said he chose to visit Afghanistan because his son was a soldier who fought there and was saddened by the fallout from President Joe Biden. a disastrous retreat of the US military in 2021.
“I felt like it ended really badly. It created such a vacuum and a disaster. It’s good to help these people and maintain relationships,” he said.
President Joe Biden attends the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base on August 29, 2021 in Dover, Delaware. The soldier was one of 13 U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Another American tourist, a 53-year-old woman named Stephanie Meyer, said she was able to cross Afghanistan without too much trouble despite being an unaccompanied woman. She said her strongest impression of the country was “disbelief that people had to live like this.”
“Poverty, no jobs, women can’t go to school, there’s no future for them,” she lamented.
James Wilcox, founder of Untamed Borders, Said Sky News in March reported that “significant numbers of tourists” were flocking to Afghanistan, calling it a “dangerous and dangerous destination”.
“They want to experience culturally different places, different food and architecture,” he said. “One of the fascinating things about going to Afghanistan is that you don’t see life through the prism of tourism. There’s something more authentic there.”
Wilcox said in his assessment that tourism in Afghanistan has become more popular under the Taliban, as “people are now able to visit places they couldn’t go before, and the overall security situation has generally improved.” He added that it was actually easier than under the government.
Several other “adventure tourism” companies told Sky News that bookings to Afghanistan have soared, making it one of Central Asia’s most popular destinations.
